High Desert's bats overwhelm Bakersfield

ADELANTO • One night after suffering a shutout loss for the first time this season, the High Desert Mavericks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard Wednesday.

Leadoff hitter Chris Taylor led off the first inning with a single for High Desert and the Mavs kept the bats hot all night, steamrolling to a 15-9 win at Stater. Bros. Stadium.

The first four batters in the Mavs lineup each connected for base hits in the first inning against Bakersfield starting pitcher Mike Dennhardt, as High Desert (29-30) took a 3-0 lead before the Blaze had even recorded an out.

Ji-Man Choi, the Mavericks No. 3 hitter in the lineup for most of 2013, was called up to the Seattle Mariners Double-A affiliate the Jackson Generals on Monday, after hitting .337 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs for High Desert in 48 games this season.

Wednesday's new-look Mavs lineup featured shortstop Taylor, center fielder Jamal Austin and right fielder Jabari Blash in the first three spots, with Dan Paolini hitting cleanup as the designated hitter.

The four Mavs combined to 9-for-16 with six RBI on a night when the Blaze had no answer for High Desert's offensive onslaught.

"Everybody swings it," Austin said of the Mavs new rotation at the top of the lineup. "I like it so far, it's a good top of the lineup."

Dennhardt eventually struck out the side to escape the first inning, but the Mavericks went right back at it in the second, with left fielder Nate Melendres leading off the inning with a double and second baseman Anthony Phillips following with a walk.

That set up Taylor for his second hit of the game, an RBI double that brought Melendres home and put the Mavericks ahead 4-0.

Bakersfield pulled Dennhardt after Taylor's double, with the Mavericks roughing up the Blaze starter for six earned runs on six hits in one-plus innings.